The Future of Video!

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to come to IUPUI and be on an alumni panel for a freshmen class in the program I graduated from in 2009. Well, the panel turned into a solitary speaking event, so I got to talk about real life in video and new media for a while.

The advisor who asked me to come speak told me to just tell the truth and tell them things I wish I had been told when I was in their shoes. Needless to say, I didn’t hesitate or hold back. There’s no need for sugar coating. You’re investing 4-5 years of your life and a few thousand dollars in this education, and the rest of your life in the field. You should know exactly what to expect.

Here’s a brief summary of what I talked about:

Do not leave school until you have at least two internships.

Update your portfolio constantly.

Learn and experiment on your own outside of school.

Consider yourself as a brand and learn about SEO.

Get active in social media, especially Twitter.

Start a blog and put it on your portfolio site.

Actually pay attention in classes that might not seem relevant, because in smaller markets, any additional skills you have to offer make you invaluable.

Never stop learning. There is so much stuff you don’t learn in college.

Make yourself known. Do fun things outside of school. Have fun.

Realize that you are on your own to find your
career. The school has career counselors, the government offers placement assistance sometimes…but ultimately, there are no hand-outs. You’re on your own to make it.

Take the time to approach people in your industry
now when you have the time to do so. Spend your free weekday shadowing someone.

Take advantage of anything the school might offer.
You ll be paying for it for 40 years anyway.

Practice phone interviews and actually go to a
etiquette luncheon.

Nobody really cares how you dress for interviews, so don’t obsess
over it. Your best professional judgment is probably right. Move on.

The job market is abysmal. Be prepared to fight for a job and do
what you have to do to get by, even if that means taking irrelevant work to survive.

Don’t take an internship that doesn’t seem right just to get
internship experience. (And don’t stick with one that isn’t working.)

Do not offer to work for pennies just to get paid work because you
only hurt other members of your industry. And you get paid dirt.
Lose-lose.

Don t be afraid to ask for exactly what you want. Be direct and
honest.

Don t be negative or self-deprecating all the time.

One person s opinion on how something should work is not the
definitive answer.

It’s going to be really difficult, but it s totally worth it if you’re in it
for the right reasons.